Hypericum plant named ‘Esm Greli’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hypericum  plant named ‘Esm Greli’, characterized by its compact, upright and uniform plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; uniform and freely flowering habit; uniform and high density of fruits; small green-colored fruits; and tolerant to wind and rain.

Botanical designation: Hypericum androesaemum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Esm Greli’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHypericum, botanically known as Hypericum androesaemum and hereinafterreferred to the name ‘Esm Greli’.

The new Hypericum is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new pot-type Hypericum cultivars withnumerous attractive fruits.

The new Hypericum originated from a cross-pollination in February, 2000in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador of a proprietary selection ofHypericum androesaemum identified as code designation Line 15, notpatented, as the female, or seed parent with a proprietary selection ofHypericum androesaemum identified as code designation Line 4, notpatented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Hypericum wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plantwithin the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledenvironment in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar of vegetative cuttings in ElQuinche, Pichincha, Ecuador, since August, 2000, has shown that theunique features of this new Hypericum are stable and reproduced true totype in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Esm Greli have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Esm Greli’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Esm Greli’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofHypericum:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and uniform plant habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Uniform and freely flowering habit; uniform and high density        of fruits.    -   4. Small green-colored fruits.    -   5. Tolerant to wind and rain.

Plants of the new Hypericum differ from plants of the female parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hypericum are shorter than plants of the        female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Hypericum differ from plants of the female        parent selection in fruit color as plants of the female parent        selection have light brown-colored fruits.

Plants of the new Hypericum differ from plants of the male parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hypericum are shorter than plants of the        male parent selection.    -   2. Fruits of plants of the new Hypericum are narrower than        fruits of plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Hypericum can be compared to plants of the cultivarEsmgrape, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,870. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted by the Inventor in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador,plants of the new Hypericum differed from plants of the cultivarEsmgrape in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hypericum were shorter and had shorter        internodes than plants of the cultivar Esmgrape.    -   2. Plants of the new Hypericum were more freely branching than        plants of the cultivar Esmgrape.    -   3. Plants of the new Hypericum had smaller leaves,        inflorescences and fruits than plants of the cultivar Esmgrape.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Hypericum. The photograph comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical stem of ‘Esm Greli’ with mature fruits.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for theaforementioned photograph and following description were grown underconditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions inan outdoor nursery in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador for about 18months. During the production of the plants, day temperatures rangedfrom 12° C. to 30° C., night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to averaged12° C. and light levels ranged from 1,000 to 1,150 foot-candles.

-   Botanical classification: Hypericum androesaemum cultivar Esm Greli.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Hypericum            androesaemum identified as code designation Line 15, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Hypericum            androesaemum identified as code designation Line 4, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About seven to ten days at 22° C. to            30° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About four to five            weeks at 22° C. to 30° C.        -   Root description.—Thick, fibrous; color, 200A.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Compact, upright and uniform plant habit. Freely            branching with about seven flowering stems developing per            plant per year; dense and bushy plant form; moderately            vigorous growth habit. Typically grown as a pot-type            Hypericum.        -   Plant height.—About 55 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 28 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 50 cm. Diameter:            About 4 mm. Internode length: About 3.8 cm. Strength:            Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 146D.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 6 cm.        -   Width.—About 3 cm.        -   Shape.—Narrowly ovate.        -   Apex.—Obtuse.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;            leathery.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: Close to 141B.            Developing foliage, lower surface: Close to 141C. Fully            expanded foliage, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,            close to 145A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Close            to 138B; venation, 145C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and shape.—Bright yellow-colored single            flowers arranged in terminal compound umbels; freely            flowering with about twelve flowers per umbel. Flowers not            persistent. Flowers face mostly upright.        -   Fragrance.—Moderate.        -   Natural flowering season.—Year-round in Ecuador.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about three to four days on            the plant.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.            Shape: Globose. Color: 13B.        -   Inflorescence size.—Length: About 11 cm. Diameter: About 13            cm.        -   Flowers.—Diameter: About 2.7 cm. Depth (height): About 1.3            cm.        -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five in a single whorl.            Length: About 1.1 cm. Width: About 9 mm. Shape: Oval. Apex:            Obtuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Glabrous, smooth; papery. Aspect: Incurved;            concave. Color: When opening, upper surface: 14B. When            opening, lower surface: 12B. Fully opened, upper surface:            14A; color becoming lighter than 14A with development. Fully            opened, lower surface: 15B.        -   Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five in a single whorl; three            larger than the other two. Length: About 8 mm to 10 mm.            Width: About 4 mm to 7 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base:            Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Glabrous, smooth. Aspect: Recurved. Color: When            opening, upper surface: Close to 144A. When opening, lower            surface: Close to 144B. Fully opened, upper surface: Close            to N144C. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 146C.        -   Peduncles.—Strength: Moderately strong. Length: About            4.1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Color: 146C overlain with 199A.        -   Pedicels.—Strength: Strong. Length: About 8 mm. Diameter:            About 2 mm. Aspect: About 60° from the stem axis. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower:            About 100. Anther shape: Reniform. Anther length: About            1 mm. Anther color: Close to 163B. Pollen amount: Moderate.            Pollen color: Close to N163D. Pistils: Quantity per flower:            Single pistil with three stigmas. Pistil length: About 1 cm.            Stigma shape: Circular. Stigma color: Close to N25A. Style            length: About 6 mm. Style color: Close to 154B. Ovary color:            Close to 154A.        -   Fruits.—Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 6 mm. Shape:            Narrowly elliptic. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close            to 144B.        -   Seeds.—Length: About 0.1 mm. Diameter: About 0.03 mm. Color:            Close to 200C.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Hypericum have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Hypericum.-   Weather/temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Hypericum have been    observed to tolerate wind, rain and temperatures ranging from about    0° C. to about 35° C.

1. A new and distinct Hypericum plant named ‘Esm Greli’ as illustratedand described.